Rear rim confusion - 83 GS1100E

[Hoomgar]

The story:

I bought a bike that the PO had put a 16" rear rim off an L model on. For him it was perfect as he is a shorter than me and it does give the bike some serious spank off the line. Very functional but I am tall and heavy so I want to put a stock 17" rim on to get that extra inch back.


The next step:

I bought a 17" rim off a fellow forum member that has the same wheel spoke patten as the stock one did. It matches the front rim now in style and diameter but is a 3" width rim. I though the extra width being so marginal would not matter and maybe even be cool.


The issue:

I put the rim on my bike tonight and it doesn't fit. Even though it is wider it is narrower in the middle from outside bearing to outside bearing than the other rim was. I am only assuming but I believe the rim that was on the bike (although a 16x2.75) has the same measurements in the center bearings as the stock one does because all the stock spacers are in use like they should be and it just lines up perfect. The 3" rim however does not. It is 1/16 of an inch narrower on the rear sprocket side from center rim and 3/8 of an inch narrower on the brake disk side. The brake disk side is a big issue because it makes the caliper and it's bracket twist in crooked and the torque link bar rubs the tire.


The questions:

I could make this work by spacing out the 1/16th of an inch on the sprocket and then making a new torque link bar that offsets around the tire and puts the caliper where it belongs but is this really what I should do?

What was the stock rim size on the 83 1100E? Was it 17x2.5?

Does anyone have a stock 83 1100E rear rim that they would like to sell me?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated my friends!

 

[Billy Ricks]

I have a 17X2.50 off my 700. Same spoke pattern as the '83 1100. Only difference should be bearing inner diameter.

 

[Billy Ricks]

BTW, when I went to a 4.5" GSXR wheel I just bent the brake stay to clear the tire. Been that way for about 14 years with no problems.

 

[Billy Ricks]

From what I've been able to find you are supposed to have a 120/90X17 on the rear. That would call for a 2.5" wheel.

 

[Hoomgar]

BTW, when I went to a 4.5" GSXR wheel I just bent the brake stay to clear the tire. Been that way for about 14 years with no problems.

So two questions for you then Billy.

1. What do you mean by the bearing diameter? You mean different axle thickness? As in I would need new bearings? If so no problem, I have them. Or did you mean it would have the same problem I am having with this rim I got now?

2. Do you think I should just do this then? I have the means to just make a whole new stay so I can keep the stock one unmolested but I am not sure about the 1/16 inch on the sprocket side then? Is it cool to just used washers to space the sprocket out? I am worried more about that than making a new stay because using the washers lifts the sprocket off the hub then. Not good IMHO. Or is there a way to make the front sprocket come in a 16th? Or doesn't the 16th matter?

 

[Guest]

82 Gs1100e

82 Gs1100e

I have a rim and tire off an 82 GS1100E. It is the same as the one that came stock off the 83. It has a like new Battlax BT45 130/90-17 tire rated V which is balanced and ready to go. The rim is a 17xMT2.50. It has good bearings and good sprocket shock absorbers. Here is a pic.

 

[Guest]

Here's another pic.

 

[Guest]

Here's a good pic of the tire.

 

[Guest]

Funny thing is I bought this with a front rim for my L model. Switched the rotor and tried to fit the sprocket in and it didn't fit. Felt like a dumba##.

 

[Billy Ricks]

So two questions for you then Billy.

1. What do you mean by the bearing diameter? You mean different axle thickness? As in I would need new bearings? If so no problem, I have them. Or did you mean it would have the same problem I am having with this rim I got now?

2. Do you think I should just do this then? I have the means to just make a whole new stay so I can keep the stock one unmolested but I am not sure about the 1/16 inch on the sprocket side then? Is it cool to just used washers to space the sprocket out? I am worried more about that than making a new stay because using the washers lifts the sprocket off the hub then. Not good IMHO. Or is there a way to make the front sprocket come in a 16th? Or doesn't the 16th matter?

#1. The outer diameter of the bearings are the same, the 700 has a smaller axle.

#2. I wouldn't sweat 1/16". Over the distance between sprockets it shouldn't cause any problems. It shouldn't be a problem to put the washers behind the sprocket either if you want to get it spot on. As long as the nuts are torqued properly the sprocket isn't going to shift.

 

[Hoomgar]

Chef, I really appreciate the offer man but that is not the same rim as the ones that came on the 83 ED. I already have a front and a back like you pictured there but don't want to use them on this bike because they are heavier. Thanks anyway though man, appreciated.

If you want to see what the rims looked like on the 83D look at the picture of the front rim on my bike at the bottom of my posts. Click on the picture for an enlarged pic.

 

[Hoomgar]

#1. The outer diameter of the bearings are the same, the 700 has a smaller axle.

#2. I wouldn't sweat 1/16". Over the distance between sprockets it shouldn't cause any problems. It shouldn't be a problem to put the washers behind the sprocket either if you want to get it spot on. As long as the nuts are torqued properly the sprocket isn't going to shift.

So your telling me to make a new stay aren't you? Or even just bend a 3/8 inch offset in the stock one?

Hmmm :-k

 

[Billy Ricks]

Yours,

Mine,

 

[Billy Ricks]

So your telling me to make a new stay aren't you? Or even just bend a 3/8 inch offset in the stock one?

Hmmm :-k

Whatever you're comfortable with Mark. The 3" wheel will give you more choice in skins. That must be an 1150 wheel. Mine is painted red with the aluminum in the right places so even if you wanted it it would need painting.

 

[Hoomgar]

Whatever you're comfortable with Mark. The 3" wheel will give you more choice in skins. That must be an 1150 wheel. Mine is painted red with the aluminum in the right places so even if you wanted it it would need painting.

From those diagrams it looks like your spacers are different too. Hmmm. Yeah and the 3" rim I have here matches the front perfectly. I think I will just run a 130 on it. Should fit nice and should handle good. A few have told me now that a 140 will fit but may not handle as well in the turns as the 130 will when matched with my front tire. I guess I need to make it work. That is unless someone comes up with a stock 83 rim for a good price. I may just buy that then and sell this one.

Thanks for all the input Billy!

 

[Billy Ricks]

From those diagrams it looks like your spacers are different too. Hmmm. Yeah and the 3" rim I have here matches the front perfectly. I think I will just run a 130 on it. Should fit nice and should handle good. A few have told me now that a 140 will fit but may not handle as well in the turns as the 130 will when matched with my front tire. I guess I need to make it work. That is unless someone comes up with a stock 83 rim for a good price. I may just buy that then and sell this one.

Thanks for all the input Billy!

You could go with a 130/80 with the extra width and it should handle better than a 120/90. The lower profile will work nice with the extra 1/2" and you should end up with just about the same stance front to rear.

 

[Billy Ricks]

Mark, here's a nice tire on Ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Trimph-thruxton-new-tires-130-80-17-brand-new-N-R_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35624QQitemZ4644524123QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

[Suzuki mad]

I've got an ESD, here in the UK, and my rear tyre is a 130/90x17. In the old days the original tyre was 4.10 but you could fit a 4.50 which is the 130/90 equivilant. We used to push it and fit a 5.10 but that used to rub the swinging arm. With the wheel patern watch out as the later EFE had the same patern wheels but were 3 and 3.5 size so won't go in the swinging arm as they were from the first of the monoshock bikes.

Suzuki mad

1981 GS1000E
1983 GSX1100ESD back together (ish)

 

[rphillips]

It may be as simple as finding the original spacers that go with your wheel. I know that to put my "78" GS 1000 spoked wheels on my "83" GS 1100 E, all I need to do is use the rear axel spacers that came stock with the "78" GS 1000 wheel, also works perfect to use the GS 1100 wheel on the GS 1000, just keep the spacers with the wheel that they came with.

 

[Jethro]

The stock 83 1100E rim width is a 2.5. The only reason people say a 140 won't handle as well is becasue of the profile being messed up, pinched by the 2.5" rim. I can attest to that. With a 3" rim the 140 would handle fine, have a good profile and will wear nicely. The 1150 rims are a nice upgrade, I'd make it work if I were you.